This is a renewal application for a training program now in its 4th year designed to attract and train both predoctoral and postdoctoral investigators in basic investigation of cardiovascular and pulmonary biology, with the goal of preparing these scientists for research careers in these fields. As a program, we have been extremely successful at introducing both Ph.D. and M.D. trainees to state-of-the-art molecular and cellular techniques that are being used to define the molecular basis of inherited and congenital human cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases. This work is done within the context of a strong mentoring program designed to promote the investigative careers of both our clinical and basic science trainees. Our goal for the new funding period is to continue to draw upon our strong faculty to train new scientists for academic research careers in cardiovascular and pulmonary biology. The objectives are: (i) to provide an extended period of full-time, protected investigative training in a clinical or bench laboratory with an accomplished scientific mentor, (ii) to correlate basic developmental biology and physiology with clinically relevant cardiovascular and pulmonary defects, (iii) to provide financial support and facilities for laboratory investigation, and (iv) to guide the trainees' development so that after completion of training successful competition for independent funding is likely.